Friday, November 9, 2012
Equine Therapy Speech
Can a horse heal a
broken heart? Lots of people turn to animals because animals accept anyone for who
they are. Horses can help cure different diseases and disabilities. Ever since
the summer of my eighth grade year I have been working with disabled kids on
horseback. To see and hear the different stories behind every child has touched
a place in my heart. I then realized that having a passion to work with children
and horses can be helpful; which can have an impact on someone’s life.
Horses
have been used for therapeutic benefit as far back as the 1600s in Germany. (William
20) Equine therapy or Hippotherapy is used for physical, psychological, social,
and behavioral issues. (Granados 5) Also, it is used for Autism, Cerebral
Palsy, communication disorders, Down Syndrome and many more. There are two
types of Hippotherapy, which are modern and classic. Modern is used to achieve
physical, psychological, social, behavioral and educational goals.(Granados 5)
Classic is based on the effect of the horse’s movement. The classic
Hippotherapy is beneficial for rehabilitation of neuromuscular, musculoskeletal
and cardiopulmonary dysfunctions. (Granados 4) After concluding research and different
stories of kids using equine therapy to overcome issues, they lead me to
believe that when kids are diagnosed with an illness instead of using
medication they should try Hippotherapy.
Equine
therapy is defined as the movement of the horse, which allows the therapist to
communicate to the rider. According to Biery, one researcher of this journal
entry of alternative and complementary medicine.”Biery evaluated the
effectiveness of these four therapies and gave Hippotherapy the distinction of
being a primary early-intervention therapy for children with disabilities.”
Hippotherapy is the treatment based on the patient’s response to the movement
of the horse. (Granados 4) When kids are diagnosed with an illness there parent
should be given a choice instead of being force into something they might not
know the result of. The horse creates the stimulation when the language is not
there. From working with kids in an equine program you have to use the horse to
communicate with the child your working with. During this process you have to
use facial and posture expressions when you are assisting a child that may have
a disability that limits their communication skills.
Using
this type of therapy it increases the strength in the patients’ muscles while
also keeping them entertained while interacting with an animal. According to
McGibbon and Haehl, they suggested that Hippotherapy motivates children to
actively engage in the treatment. If the patient likes working with the animals
it can be beneficial in the kid’s activity and also helps with the illness.
Hippotherapy demands and encourages participation; being outdoors in the
environment and exercise with the horse are pleasurable. (Granados 13) If the
kids are more willing to do this than to use medication it would be more
beneficial to the child. “Temperature of the body of the equine is about 1 to
5 higher than a human, principally in the neck, mane, and quarters, depending
on the type of exercise the animal is performing.” The different exercises with
the horse can give them different experience levels working with the horses. “The
extra warmth can increase the riders’ plasticity, reduces spasticity and
stretch the rider’s muscles.” (Granados 14) The way the horse moves, rhythm, is
like a person walking so it massages the muscles of the hips in the person.
“Spontaneous movement in turn may contribute to the patient’s cognitive and
motor development, and the Hippotherapy exercises may motivate patients to
repeat these movements while off the horse.” (Granados 15) When the kids are in
a program to help them with their disability the kids are encouraged to keep
practicing the exercises they learned on the horse, as well as off the horse,
to keep strengthening the muscles.
Researchers
start the kids with different disabilities and diseases on something such as a
barrel for research to determine if they are ready to be placed on a horse. According
to the journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, therapist starts the
children off on a 50 gallon barrel. They used students that were enrolled,
assigned, and randomly assigned to do a study on. “The higher the positive percentage
change, the more symmetrical the activity between the left and right side
became after the testing protocol.” The different exercises that the kids
perform on the horse help even out the other side, such as with the different
leads on horses it might exercise one side more than the other depending on the
direction of the horse. “This improvement in symmetry was typically achieved
through a reduction in activity of the overactive scale group and a
corresponding increase in muscle activity on the contralateral side adjusting
to maintain balance.” (William 18) They have tested many children and so far
many of the patients have benefited from this. “Despite the unusual nature of
Hippotherapy it provides physical, cognitive, emotional and social stimulation
as well as nurturing and developing capabilities that maybe untapped through
conventional treatment.” (William 18) Working with the different types of kids
over time you can tell a difference in how the kid reacts every time they come
back to the barn for the next session of equine therapy.
I
have been working with kids with different illnesses and diseases for over a
year now. Working with them has made an impact on me but also the children. I
have seen a person come to the barn scared, afraid, and not wanting to even
look at a horse, but when it was time to leave
the kids did not want to; they wanted to ride more or help out around
the barn just to be around the animals. Overtime, I have seen a positive change
on the children each month. When kids come out to the barn they are ready to
start and really pleased with their learning experience when they leave. To be
in a program like this you do not have to know anything about horses; you just
have to show up. There are always many people that are there to answer
questions. When you come out to the program you will always leave knowing
something that you did not already know. After doing the research and working
with the kids and seeing how well this has helped the kids over time I can
conclude that hippotherapy is a better option than medication.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Equine- assisted therapy
Barbara MacLean
concludes there are many ways horses help veterans with different issues. She
claims that using horses are good ways for bonding and it teaches the veteran
to be a good leader. Maclean develops this claim by first explaining that it
helps them communicate; recognize feelings, frustrations, their goals and
successes. Maclean states that since horses are larger animals so veterans that
have trouble controlling their anger would realize that if they get mad and
make a sudden movement the horse could cause them harm. Lastly, the author
explains that veterans must be assertive without being aggressive and they
should show confidence to gain respect of the horse and become a “herd” leader.
Barbara Maclean’s purpose is to inform the public about equine therapy for
veterans in order to help them with their interaction with other people and
animals. Also many people connect better with animals because they accept
anyone for who they are. This work is significant because it helps give me a
better understanding of how adults can use this as well as children.
Improvements in muscle symmetry in children with cerebral palsy after equine- assisted therapy
William Brenda et al
states that Hippotherapy provides physical, emotional, and social stimulation.
She claims that it is unusual nature of hippotherapy but it’s based off of
building motor skills development. Brenda et al develops this claim by stating
that horses have been specifically used for therapeutic benefit as for as the
1600s in Germany. Brenda et al describes equine therapy when it’s in use as a
child on a horse lying down, sitting forward or backwards while and physical
therapist walks along the side for security purposes. A person with spastic palsy usually shows positive changes within
the first five to ten minutes. Lastly,
the author states that before they are put on a horse they are to sit on a
55-gallon drum to help them with how they are to sit on the horse. William
Brenda et al purpose is to inform people that Hippotherapy started a long time
ago and can still be used today in order to help kids overcome diseases and
disorders. This work is significant because it helps me understand
Hippotherapy, where it came from and also how it works.
Benda, William, Nancy H. Mcgibbon, and
Kathryn L. Grant. "Improvements In Muscle Symmetry In Children With
Cerebral Palsy After Equine-Assisted Therapy (Hippotherapy)." Journal
Of Alternative & Complementary Medicine 9.6 (2003): 817-825. Academic
Search Premier. Web. 4 Oct. 2012.
Why children with special needs feel better with hippotherapy sessions: a conceptual review
Anabel Granados
informs that the treatment consist of the movement of the horse and patients
response to the movement. The patient can be facing forward, backward or lying
on their back. The therapy is based on
strengthening muscles using the horse movement. She claims that it is used for
physical, psychological, cognitive, social, behavioral, and educational goals.
Granados develops this claim by McConnell claiming that there are psychological
benefits to equine therapy. Granados lists the wide range of disabilities such
as autism, cerebral palsy, communication disorders, cerebrovascular accident
stroke, developmental decay, Down syndrome and many more. Lastly, the author
states that hippotherapy also improves muscle symmetry. There was one study
where it had improved someone’s muscle symmetry within only eight minutes of
therapy. This process can also improve motor skills of a person. Using a
bareback pad is also used for the rider to be able to absorb more warmth and
massaging motions of the horse. Anabel Granados’ purpose is to inform people
that equine therapy, also known as hippotherapy, in order to help kids to build
strength in muscles if they have a disease. This work is significant because it
helps me understand the full meaning of equine therapy.
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